


young and in love (and we just believe)

by Fives (janfives90)



Category: The Prom - Sklar/Beguelin/Martin
Genre: F/F, Really just fluff, i guess, it's a little oneshot, painter au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:01:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24066247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/janfives90/pseuds/Fives
Summary: Alyssa smiles as she sets up at her favorite place in the park, easel in front of her, sun over her head, a perfect view of the blonde dozing in the shade.She doesn’t know her name. She hasn’t even gotten the nerve to speak to her. But for now, she’s content to sit in the beautiful weather and paint and watch a pretty girl relax comfortably.
Relationships: Alyssa Greene/Emma Nolan
Comments: 5
Kudos: 74





	young and in love (and we just believe)

Alyssa smiles as she sets up at her favorite place in the park, easel in front of her, sun over her head, a perfect view of the blonde dozing in the shade.

She doesn’t know her name. She hasn’t even gotten the nerve to speak to her. But for now, she’s content to sit in the beautiful weather and paint and watch a pretty girl relax comfortably.

The blonde has brought her German Shepherd puppy today, and Alyssa grins as she watches the puppy stir, its ears flopping as it shakes its fur then goes to the end of its leash to try to catch a butterfly.

Without opening her eyes, the blonde mutters something, and the puppy trots back to her, pouncing on her stomach and wagging its tail.

Alyssa laughs as the blonde winces and picks the puppy up, corralling it before she goes back to sleep, the shepherd settling on top of her.

She watches them for a moment, then goes back to her painting.

* * *

* * *

_ “Toast! Get back here!” _

The painter looks down as Emma’s puppy starts sniffing around her supplies. “Oh! Be careful, sweetheart.” She sets her paintbrush down and picks Toast up, grinning as his attention shifts to try to lick her face. “I don’t think it would be a good idea for you to eat any of that stuff.”

“I’m so sorry,” Emma says, setting her hands on her hips as she tries to catch her breath. “He slipped out of his collar and decided to chase butterflies.”

“I’ve seen him try to chase those before,” the painter says, tickling one of Toast’s ears. “What do you have against butterflies, huh?”

Toast’s only reply is to try to chew on her fingers, his tail thumping happily against her side.

The painter laughs, and Emma’s mind goes blank, the sound making her brain stop all function.

“Are you okay?”

Emma blinks rapidly and shakes her head. “Huh?”

“I asked if you wanted to put this little guy’s collar back on.”

“O-Oh. Right. Right. Yeah.” Emma tightens the collar a bit and clips it around Toast’s neck. “Thank you for grabbing him.”

“I didn’t mind at all. He’s a cutie. I’ve seen you two here before.”

“Yeah, you paint in the park all the time.” Emma blushes. “Uh, not that I’ve… noticed or anything…”

The painter gives her a knowing smile. “Hm.”

“...What?”

“Nothing.” She fumbles Toast into one arm and holds her other hand out to Emma. “I’m Alyssa.”

Emma shakes her hand. “Emma.”

Toast yips at her.

“And that’s Toast.” Emma rubs the back of her neck. “Uhm… I was just about to take him home and then go to a cafe for breakfast. You’re… welcome to join? If you’d like?”

Alyssa scratches the top of Toast’s head and grins. “You want me to go to breakfast with you?”

“Well, I mean, it’s the least I could do, right?” Emma clears her throat and mutters, “Plus, you’re, like,  _ really _ pretty.”

Alyssa looks Emma up and down, then leans in toward Toast and whispers, “Your mom is cute.”

Emma is pretty sure she, somehow, blushes even darker.

“And I’m definitely saying yes to her.”

“Yeah?”

Alyssa laughs and nods. “Yes, Emma.”

“Okay.” Emma reaches out and takes Toast, who wiggles playfully. “I’ll, uh, take him, then, so you can… pack up?”

“Of course. Just give me a minute and I’ll be ready to go.”

* * *

“I don’t usually do this,” Alyssa says breathlessly as she stumbles into Emma’s room, the door closing behind them.

“Neither do I.” Alyssa can feel Emma’s hands trembling as her fingers find their way to Alyssa’s belt. “I… Can I?”

“Yes. God, yes.” She pulls Emma backwards towards the bed, kissing her fiercely, and they tumble onto it while they’re still trying to figure out clothes.

“Sorry,” Emma mutters against Alyssa’s lips.

“Don’t be.” Alyssa plays with the buttons of Emma’s flannel shirt. “Can-”

“Yes,” Emma says before Alyssa even finishes. She kisses Alyssa again, then says, “If you have second thoughts, I’m sure we can still make it to the cafe before their breakfast menu switches to lunch.”

“Emma,” Alyssa says as she begins unbuttoning Emma’s shirt.

“Alyssa?”

“Shut up.”

Emma laughs. “Yes, ma’am.”

* * *

* * *

Emma and Alyssa walk hand-in-hand through the park, Toast bouncing ahead in front of them. “It’s beautiful out today.”

“It is,” Alyssa agrees quietly.

“Hey.” Emma bumps her shoulder. “What’s up? You’re not usually this quiet.”

“I’m not really sure. I think I just… I never really saw myself living in a city, you know? I came here for school, but after that I always thought I’d move somewhere quiet. I like what I have here. I  _ really _ like you. I just… I don’t know. I want more? Is that selfish?”

“I don’t think it’s selfish to want more from your life.” Emma is quiet for a long moment, watching Toast try to dive into the pond. “I, uh… I have a thought. Maybe it’s a crazy one.”

Alyssa raises an eyebrow at her. “You having a crazy thought is always a little dangerous.”

“Maybe.” Emma puts the hand not holding Toast’s leash in her pocket. “I inherited a house up in Maine. Quiet, near the water, plenty of space for Toast to run around.” She pauses. “There’s a small tourist town near it where you could definitely sell your paintings.”

Alyssa stops walking, and Emma comes to a stop next to her. “You… You want me to move to Maine with you?”

“I know it’s early, but Alyssa, I want you to be happy. I want us  _ both _ to be happy.” Emma reaches out and takes one of Alyssa’s hands, squeezing it gently. “At the very least, would you let me show it to you? So you can think about it? I’d move with you in a heartbeat, Alyssa. Let me prove to you that you can.”

Alyssa leans in and kisses her. “I don’t know what I did to get you in my life, Emma Nolan.”

Emma laughs. “I wonder the same thing about you every single day.”

“Come on. Let’s go take a look at this house of yours.”

* * *

“So what do you think?”

Alyssa curls up against Emma’s side, looking at the laptop screen as they cuddle in bed. “Oh, Emma,” she whispers. “It’s perfect.” She turns her head, resting her chin on Emma’s shoulder. “You’re perfect.”

“You’re perfecter,” Emma jokes. She closes her laptop and sets it on the bedside table. “I know it’ll take time, and work, and we’ll need to make sure that we’re careful with each other. That we talk to each other and we don’t let the stress of moving overwhelm us. But I’m willing to try. I  _ want _ to try.”

“So do I.” Alyssa kisses Emma on the cheek. “I love you, Emma Nolan.”

A bright, happy eagerness lights in Emma’s eyes. “You do?”

“Yes.” Alyssa laughs. “I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be talking about moving to another state with you if I didn’t, honey.”

Emma rolls over, sliding Alyssa down by her hips so that she’s flat on her back, Emma on top of her, grinning. “I love you, too, Alyssa Greene.” She kisses Alyssa, long and slow, so deeply that when she pulls back all Alyssa can do is sigh. “We have stuff we should talk about,” Emma says, a laugh in her voice when she sees the dazed look on Alyssa’s face.

“Uh-huh,” Alyssa says. She interlocks her fingers behind Emma’s neck. “Let’s talk.”

* * *

* * *

Alyssa laughs as she watches Emma and Toast roll around on the floor together. “Has anyone told you that you’re kinda also a puppy, babe?”

Emma looks at her upside-down from her spot on the floor, her shepherd on top of her. “Not that I can recall.”

“Well, at least you’re both cute.”

“That’s good.”

Emma goes back to her wrestling match, and Alyssa cuts open one of the boxes from their move.

“Oh,” she murmurs. “I’m so glad it got here safely.”

“What is it?” Emma asks, pushing herself up off of the floor and running a hand through her hair as she joins her.

Alyssa pulls a painting out of the box. “I thought maybe I could hang this up in here. I really don’t want to sell it. It’s my favorite painting I’ve ever done.”

Emma goes quiet as she looks at the pond, the park, the trees.

The girl and dog, asleep in the shade.

“You painted me and Toast,” Emma whispers.

“Yeah. I did.”

“When?”

“Before I even met you,” Alyssa admits quietly. “I’d see you there every day, and you looked so peaceful, and I always wanted to figure out how to talk to you, but I could never work up the nerve. So instead, I painted you.”

Emma skims her thumb down the edge of the painting, then takes it and gently sets it on top of the mantle of the fireplace. “It’ll be safe there until we can hang it.” She turns and pulls Alyssa to her, looping her arms around Alyssa’s waist. “I love you.”

Alyssa rests her forehead against Emma’s. “I love you, too.” She laughs as Toast tries to squeeze between them. “And I also love you, Toast.”

Emma just pulls Alyssa a bit closer. “Are you happy?”

“Yes. Em, you have no idea how happy I am.”

Emma smiles and kisses her. “That’s all I’ve ever wanted.” She gives Alyssa a crooked grin, then grabs one of Toast’s toys and races the puppy out of the room.

Alyssa watches them go, her heart full and warm, and begins to plan another painting.


End file.
